Intensity

You hear this term thrown around all the time when talking about fitness. Personal trainers yell about it. Dig deep! Leave it all on the field! Everything you've got! But this is about as far as we get in terms of dialing up intensity. I propose we take a more precise approach. Hear me out.

One of the techniques I have learned is to visualize that you have an intensity dial that goes from 1 (asleep) to 10 (fighting for your life). Think about activities in terms of where they fall on that dial. Does your average day register above a 5? Where do your workouts normally fall? If you regularly do the same activity (treadmill, elliptical, etc.) does your intensity vary? I try to think in these terms when I plan any activity. If it is a short activity (Less than 5 minutes) then I plan to dial at least a 7. If it is a longer workout then I like to start a little bit less intense and finish strong.

Example: yesterday my workout was to row 5000 meters. My goal time was under 20 minutes. I had a planned pace that had me just on pace to hit my goal (about a 6 on the dial). With 1000 meters to go, I was 15 seconds off my pace. I had to crank up the dial to 7 and then to 8 for the last few hundred meters to finish at 19:56.

Having and applying this mental tool will give some focus to the otherwise vague concept of increasing intensity. Here are a few quick workouts to practice dialing up intensity.

• Tabata Squats - Using the Tabata format (8 rounds of 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest) do your first four rounds at a 6. This should be a controlled pace but still challenging. Then finish strong with your last four rounds at an 8 or higher. This should be an all out effort and you should be smoked at the end. If you are not a practised squatter, keep these tips in mind: Keep your head and chest up, keep your knees above your feet and try and get your thighs parallel with the ground.
• One mile run - Mark off one mile or find a quarter mile track. Break the course up into quarter mile segments, or one lap around the track. Run your first lap at a 6. You should be breathing hard but not near smoked. Each lap, turn the dial up one, finishing your last lap at a sprint. You should get a faster lap each time. 

Try these out or apply the dial to your own workouts. Also think about the dial in your everyday life, i.e., stairs vs elevator, walking vs driving, etc. Not everything you do needs to to fall high on the dial but you should be exploring the upper ends of the dial from time to time. If you don't remember what a 7 feels like then its time to make a change.

Get out there and crank it up to eleven!

Jack

PS -  It has been interesting so far that writing things in this blog makes me more likely to heed my own advice. I guess writing things down really does increase the likelihood that they will get done.

PPS - Having the right music to match your intensity is a big help. Trying to hit an 8 on the dial while listening to Jimmy Buffett just makes things that much more difficult. Find the tunes that get you motivated.